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U N I T E D N A T I O N S Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa
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IRIN Update No. 655 for Central and Eastern Africa (Thursday 22 April 1999)
RWANDA: Arrested bishop appears before court officials
Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro prefecture, who was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the 1994 genocide, has appeared before court officials in Kigali, where he was ordered to be detained for two months, the Rwanda News Agency reported on Wednesday. During this period, his file will be completed and he may be judged within that time. RNA said the bishop had few words to say to journalists who were present at the courtroom.
2,000 detainees freed since October
Some 2,000 people, detained in Rwanda on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, have been freed since October 1998, according to a report by the Ligue rwandaise pour la promotion et la defense des droits de l'homme (LIPRODHOR). The report, cited by the independent Hirondelle news agency, recalled that they had been released because there were no case files against them. A programme, entitled Programme de suivi des accuses de genocide mis en liberte (PSAG), had been set up to keep a watch on the released inmates in a bid to protect them. The report noted that they were at risk. It said in Butare prefecture, for example, 24 freed people had been killed. Local officials, interviewed by LIPRODHOR, said however, the freed prisoners were generally well-received by the community.
Cameroon to hand over ex-ministers to ICTR
Cameroon is to hand over three former Rwandan government ministers for trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania, Reuters reported. The three, who were recently apprehended in the west African country, are former foreign minister Clement Jerome Bicamumpaka, former public works minister Prosper Mugiraneza and former trade minister Justin Mugenzi.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBIC OF CONGO: Chiluba hails Libya deal
President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia has welcomed a peace deal signed in Libya at the weekend by DRC leader Laurent-Desire Kabila and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni. According to Zambian radio, he said it was a step towards a peaceful solution. However, Rwanda reiterated its opposition to the agreement. A government statement, reported by RNA, said the deal was "not binding" on Rwanda, which was not consulted.
DRC soldiers accuse Zambia of aiding rebels
Meanwhile, the Zambian daily 'The Post' on Wednesday said DRC soldiers who had fled into Zambia had accused the Zambian government of aiding the rebels. They alleged some 400 Banyamulenge fighters, who had crossed into northern Zambia at Kalanda, were being sheltered by the government.
BURUNDI: Peace talks should conclude before year-end, minister says
Burundi's Peace Process Minister Ambroise Niyonsaba said in Arusha on Thursday that while he hesitated to name a date for the conclusion of talks, it should be before the end of the year. He told Hirondelle news agency that the methodology of the current session of talks - by which serious points of disagreement were noted while the discussion forged ahead - was speeding things up.
However, a representative of the Tanzanian facilitators' of the peace talks warned that donors' patience may run out "given the slow rate of progress". Anthony Nyaki, head of the secretariat at the Office of the Facilitator, told journalists: "The fact that we are still at Agenda One, Item One does show the kind of problems we have to overcome to reach a settlement".
UGANDA: "Modest gains" in human development
A Uganda Human Development Report, produced by UNDP, notes "modest gains" in human development, including a decline in absolute poverty, improved access to health services and safe water, and increased life expectancy. However, in northern Uganda the level of human poverty is lower than the Ugandan average, due in part to the ongoing conflict in the area.
Nairobi, 22 April 1999, 14:30 gmt
[ENDS]
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 17:36:52 +0300 (EAT) From: IRIN - Central and Eastern Africa <irin@ocha.unon.org> Subject: CENTRAL AND EASTERN AFRICA: IRIN Update 655 for 22 April [19990422]
Editor: Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D
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